What Jim Harbaugh said at the March for Life

Jim Harbaugh made time between celebrating his national title and interviewing with NFL teams to make a surprise appearance at Friday’s March for Life in Washington, D.C.

The University of Michigan head football coach briefly took the stage during the cold, snowy event to praise attendees and introduce former NFL player Ben Watson, who was one of the featured speakers.

“Thank you all for being here. It’s a great example that you’re setting. It’s a testimony for the sanctity of life,” he said.

He then gestured at the snow and joked about his day job.

“This is football weather! Let’s go!” he said.

Reactions to Harbaugh at March for Life

Harbaugh’s appearance at the annual rally, which brings together anti-abortion activists, sparked a wave of social media posts.

Many praised the coach for attending the march, while others said his appearance sullied their feelings about him.

“God Bless Jim Harbaugh!! Never have I ever been a bigger (Michigan) fan than I am today,” said one X user.

“Love Harbaugh as a Michigan fan but I hate some of his political beliefs. O well, nobody’s perfect,” said another.

David Hookstead, a football reporter for Outkick, took to X to criticize fellow members of the media for not writing more about Harbaugh’s political activism.

“Jim Harbaugh attended the March for Life to speak in support of the unborn, and most of the media is ignoring it. If he came out in support of abortion or Gaza, the media would paint him as a hero. He supports unborn babies and it’s complete silence. Disgusting,” he said.

Related

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• The Bible verses that helped Jim Harbaugh create his quarterback plan

Jim Harbaugh’s views on abortion

Harbaugh, who is Catholic, has spoken about abortion before.

In 2022, he told ESPN about encouraging his players to come to him if they ever dealt with an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy with a partner. He said he wanted them to know that he’d be happy to raise the baby with his wife.

“I’ve told (them) the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members. I encourage them — if they have a pregnancy that wasn’t planned, to go through with it, go through with it. Let that unborn child be born, and if at that time, you don’t feel like you can care for it, you don’t have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby,” he said, according to USA Today.

“We got a big house,” he added in the ESPN interview. “We’ll raise that baby.”

Harbaugh is also outspoken about other aspects of his Catholic beliefs and about religion in general.

Andrew Gentry, a Michigan player, recently told the Church News about having a chance to talk with his coach about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“Coach Harbaugh himself is a religious man and has always been supportive of my faith,” Gentry told the Church News.

What’s next for Jim Harbaugh?

Harbaugh’s appearance at the March for Life came as he contemplates a major career move.

Just weeks after leading Michigan to a national championship, Harbaugh is interviewing with multiple NFL teams and considering becoming their next head coach.

On Friday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on X that Harbaugh remains in the running to take the reins in Atlanta. He’ll do a second interview with the Falcons next week, Pelissero reported.

Harbaugh has also met with the Los Angeles Chargers.

In 2022, he interviewed with the Minnesota Vikings but stayed at Michigan after he failed to get a job offer, as NBC Sports reported at the time.

Tony Dungy at March for Life

As of Friday night, Harbaugh’s participation in the March for Life has made fewer waves than an appearance at last year’s event made by NFL analyst and former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy.

A not insignificant group of sports commentators and NFL fans saw Dungy’s support for the event as a reason to kick him off network broadcasts of NFL playoff games, as the Deseret News reported at the time.